Gamekeeper Podcast

This week is a very special episode. We have Mr. Fred Pringle, an 85-year-old southern gentleman who was a 49-year employee of the Alabama Department of Conservation and the man possibly most responsible for restoring turkeys all over the state in the 60s and 70s. Mr. Fred will explain how he trapped and released almost 4,000 turkeys during his career. He explains how he did it and what he learned...

On this bonus podcast we interrupt the turkey season preparations to talk to a professional hunter from Australia. Karl Goodhand of Goodhand OutBack Experiences entertains us with us stories of water buffalos, million acre hunting leases and he explains the hunting traditions of the aboriginal people. His story about the giant crocodile killing his tracking dog is well worth the listen. This one i...

This week we’re joined by calling legend Matt Morrett to talk turkeys. Matt was the first person to win the Grand National Calling Contest while incorporating a friction call into his routine. He has lived turkey hunting and calling contests all his life and has so much wisdom to share. These days, Matt is giving back to the resource by working as the Director of Marketing for the Pennsylvania Gam...

This week we are talking old-school calls with custom call maker Rick Ferlita. Rick owns Cypress Creek Turkey Calls and specializes in one called a scratch box. There are many variations, and Rick explains the rich history of the call, which goes back a long way. You will enjoy this one. Listen, Learn and Enjoy.             Show Notes: Cypress Creek Turkey Calls: https://www.facebook.com/cypresscr...

This week we are joined by one of our favorite guests, Dave Owens of the Pinhoti Project.  Dave is a renowned traveling turkey hunter who obsesses over the details and is one of our favorite guests. We decided to ask him questions that he rarely gets asked in an effort to learn something new. How does he prepare for weeks of reduced sleep? He explains his filming set up to help listeners film thei...

This week we are joined in studio by two turkey calling contest crazed individuals, Lann Wilf and Jason Conrad. They both have won numerous prestigious friction contests, including the World Amateur and the Grand National Friction, which were huge milestones for them. We learn all about the contests, including the drama around qualifying, strategies, and comradery amongst the competitors. They tel...

This week, we are joined by master trapper Mike Sievering and Bill Duke of Duke Traps. It’s trapping season, and we are all interested in learning tips and techniques to help us better manage predator populations. Mike shares an interesting history of trapping and provides lots of personal insight that would take someone many years to learn on their own. It’s a good one. Listen, Learn and Enjoy. ...

On this timely classic episode (EP:190) we are honored to have Dr. Dana Morin, an Applied Population Ecologist with the Carnivore and Population Ecology Lab at the Forest and Wildlife Research Center at Mississippi State, sitting between the turkeys and explaining many facts about coyotes. We learn they are a fascinating animal, very much deserving of our respect even though we still seem to want...

This week we are joined by Hunter Crimm, a local trapper who has distinguished himself as being one of the best. Hunter explains how he became interested in trapping and how it’s taught him woodsmanship skills that made him a better hunter. We talk about raccoons but he really explains how he catches bobcats and coyotes. It’s highly informative podcast and if you’re thinking about trapping, you ne...

On this timely classic episode (EP:190) we are joined in studio by deer dog recovery expert Zach Crowley and his legendary tracking dog, Dayah (a beautiful black-mouthed Cur). We hope you never need one, but if you do it’s great to know there is a network of recovery dogs that can make the difference in recovering your deer. Zach explains what steps to take after a nominal shot, and how to get in...

This week, we are joined by Dr. Mike Chamberlain to talk through some of the latest whitetail management techniques he’s seeing. Over the last fifty years, the landscape has changed and whitetails are clearly king! But what’s changed, and what can we learn? His recent trip to South Texas leads us to ask about the story of his buck and what he sees that those intensively managed ranches are doing t...

This week we are joined in-studio by renowned wildlife chef Michael Hunter. It’s a fun podcast, and we ask a lot of questions about grilling, temps, searing techniques, sauces and just how a guy can prepare the perfect backstrap/tenderloin. We also ask if meat from different regions tastes noticeably different. From a chef's perspective, what age and gender of a whitetail tastes the best? Wou...

This week we’re joined by Dr. Emily Belser to discuss antler abnormalities and what all she has learned studying white-tailed deer. We ask a bunch of questions to help us all understand the mystery around antlers just a little better. She also has some interesting insight into hierarchy of the deer herd and how that is evidenced around feeders. Emily spent time with Texas research projects that in...

On this timely classic episode (EP:135) we send off duck season in style with some of our favorite duck stories, great duck hunting advice and insight into imprinting waterfowl. At the end Chris Paradise and Dudley tell a couple of stories that will make the hair on your arms stand up. These are chilling spiritual experiences experienced by lifelong friends and family in a duck blind. They left us...

This week, we’re talking ducks with Dr. Brad Cohen from Tennessee Tech and expert duck hunter Jim Ronquest (Drake Waterfowl.) Brad is a very interesting biologist who wants to learn about how hunting pressure affects waterfowl movements, and his study will amaze you. His group is banding ducks with GPS monitors and studying how pressure makes the ducks move, where they want to go and how long they...

On this timely classic episode (EP:117) we celebrate the white-tailed deer. With firearms seasons opening everywhere we are reminded just how much we all love whitetails, so we ask our friends to tell some of their favorite deer stories. Cuz and Jeff Foxworthy join us, and of course we laugh A LOT, but sharing the memories just makes us all realize how much deer season means to us. Listen, Learn a...

This week we’re joined by Dave Maas of Minnesota to talk deer hunting, bowhunting and successful strategies to get kids engaged in the hunt. Dave is a long-time hunter and a serious bowhunter. He is the editor of Bowhunting World magazine and spends much of his time immersed in archery gear and bowhunting. His two adult sons love hunting as much as he does, and Dave shares how he got them involved...

On this bonus episode, Jeff Lindsey joins us to tell the story of East Wing, the 200-inch Illinois giant buck he recently killed. Through the years, the Lindsey family has been a great example of a hunter/Gamekeeper. They have grown and killed some giant bucks while involving their families in the process. Jeff and others had been watching this deer for years, and the story of his last year is an...

This week we have Dan Moultrie and Mark Olis in the studio for a deep discussion around the many effects of the drought. Across much of the whitetail's range, plots struggled to get established and the all-important mast crop is spotty at best. In some areas, it’s nonexistent and Dudley explains why. It’s all very concerning. Have you ever thought of irrigating a plot or two? We take a deep d...

On this bonus episode, we welcome Hunter Smith of Central Alabama to tell the story of his recent giant whitetail bow kill. Hunter is a serious Gamekeeper and takes hunting to the next level. He was doing everything he could to grow big bucks… but imagine the shock of having a 200-plus-inch whitetail unexpectedly show up on your cameras in early September. Suddenly, the biggest deer you have ever...

This week we have a deep deer discussion with Lann Wilf, a past MDWFP Deer Program Coordinator. Lann has had many years of experience managing whitetails on a professional level, and also knows a thing or two about chasing whitetail bucks. He lives his advice and walks us through what he recommends. We seem to talk more about small properties on this one and we think there is a lot to glean here....

This week, we are joined by Chief Cyrus Ben of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. We ask him a lot of questions, ranging from artifacts to the cultural importance of hunting to his people. We ask him to take us back hundreds of years and explain how things were done and what the landscape looked like. The Chief was a great guest, an eloquent speaker, and knowledgeable about everything from h...

This week, we have a truly special guest, Mr. Marlin Watkins from the hills of eastern Ohio, to explain the history and traditions of fall turkey hunting in the Northeast. The man is a legendary call maker and a gifted turkey hunter who is passionate about his dogs busting fall flocks, allowing him to call the birds back together. It was interesting to hear him explain the strategy and how the dif...

This week we have another conversation with Flip Pallot and we’re also joined by two of our favorite Gamekeepers Jeff Foxworthy and Glenn Garner. Flip tells the fresh story of the largest whitetail he has killed, which happened that morning! We all discuss the allure of hunting big whitetail bucks and how it has strained many marriages, careers, friendships and much more. But why? We ask just what...

This week we are joined by Gene and Barry Wensel to discuss their amazing deer hunting career. The Wensel brothers are legendary for getting bucks up close for bow shots and their ability to read sign associated with mature bucks. There are a lot of stories told and along the way we ask questions to help us all understand how they pick the right tree. It’s a fun one! Listen, Learn and Enjoy.  Show...